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Tag: Refinery29

  • MIPCOM: Keshet gives New Form to digital scripts

    MIPCOM: Keshet gives New Form to digital scripts

    MUMBAI: Global production and distribution powerhouse Keshet International (KI) and New Form, announced a partnership to distribute three of the latter’s millennial- and youth-targeted digital scripted series, launching them to buyers at MIPCOM. KI will seek out both linear TV and digital opportunities for the series internationally.

    KI will offer New Form’s comedy, sci-fi adventure and dark thriller series, all of which are available or soon to premiere in the US on Verizon’s go90 mobile OTT platform, as part of a 20-plus title MIPCOM slate that is Keshet’s largest, most distinctive and diverse ever.

    New Form produces content for mobile-friendly platforms and premium destinations hungry for high-quality content with great stories and value. In addition to go90, the destinations include Vimeo, Refinery29, Fullscreen, YouTube Red and CW’s The Seed.

    “New Form has been at the forefront of creating original premium digital content for new OTT players in the US,” said Keshet International digital & acquisitions SVP Sebastian Burkhardt.

    “With these three remarkable new series, we now have the unique opportunity to expand their reach beyond the booming US market to both linear TV networks – with reformatted 30- and 60-minutes versions – and OTT services throughout the rest of the world.”

    “Partnering with Keshet on the international distribution of three of our signature series is a significant step forward for our long-term strategy of creating, producing and distributing high-quality programs that have wide millennial appeal across multiple viewing platforms around the world,” said New Form business development SVP JC Cangilla.

    Two of the three New Form series appearing at MIPCOM have already premiered on go90 in the US: The high school comedy Mr. Student Body President – A charismatic student body president and his Machiavellian chief of staff give “high school politics” a new meaning as they battle for power over pep rallies, gossip, and grades, with all the ambition and fervor of hardened Washington operatives. Starring Jeremy Shada (Adventure Time, Parenthood, ParaNorman), Arden Rose (1.3 million YouTube subscribers) and Christina Moore (True Blood, That 70s Show, MADTV).

    The Streamy Award-nominated sci-fi adventure MISS 2059 – An intergalactic sci-fi adventure about a beauty queen on Earth who is mistakenly selected to represent humanity in a life-or-death Galactic tournament. Starring Anna Akana (1.4 million YouTube subscribers, Ant Man, The Fosters), Nikki Soohoo (The Lovely Bones, Stick It, Private Practice) and Hartley Sawyer (Geek & Sundry’s “Caper”, The Young and the Restless, The McCarthys).

    KI will also offer Cold, set to premiere in the US on go90 this month on October 13:

    Her mother brutally murdered… her father in prison for the horrific crime… 16-year-old Isla Wallis returns to her remote hometown to discover the truth about what really happened to her family. Now, alone and abandoned in the icy wilderness, Isla will be pushed to the edge of survival as she fights to expose the killer and save more than just her own life. Starring Annalise Basso (Captain Fantastic, New Girl, Ouija 1 & 2, Oculus, True Blood), Todd Lowe (Gilmore Girls, True Blood, Criminal Minds, NCIS), Jim True-Frost (The Wire, Boardwalk Empire, Hostages), and Marcus Johns (6.5 million Vine followers, Expelled, Rock of Ages)

    Additionally, Keshet will be adding a homegrown series, Aces to the list of digital offerings on their full MIPCOM slate. Created by Moti Adiv, Yoni Zicholtz and Jonathan Bar Ilan and produced by Keshet Broadcasting, Aces quickly became Israel’s number one digital series and subsequently migrated to Keshet’s linear channel. The show provides a hilarious fly-on-the-wall peek into the world of five poker buddies when they let loose during their Friday night card game.

  • MIPCOM: Keshet gives New Form to digital scripts

    MIPCOM: Keshet gives New Form to digital scripts

    MUMBAI: Global production and distribution powerhouse Keshet International (KI) and New Form, announced a partnership to distribute three of the latter’s millennial- and youth-targeted digital scripted series, launching them to buyers at MIPCOM. KI will seek out both linear TV and digital opportunities for the series internationally.

    KI will offer New Form’s comedy, sci-fi adventure and dark thriller series, all of which are available or soon to premiere in the US on Verizon’s go90 mobile OTT platform, as part of a 20-plus title MIPCOM slate that is Keshet’s largest, most distinctive and diverse ever.

    New Form produces content for mobile-friendly platforms and premium destinations hungry for high-quality content with great stories and value. In addition to go90, the destinations include Vimeo, Refinery29, Fullscreen, YouTube Red and CW’s The Seed.

    “New Form has been at the forefront of creating original premium digital content for new OTT players in the US,” said Keshet International digital & acquisitions SVP Sebastian Burkhardt.

    “With these three remarkable new series, we now have the unique opportunity to expand their reach beyond the booming US market to both linear TV networks – with reformatted 30- and 60-minutes versions – and OTT services throughout the rest of the world.”

    “Partnering with Keshet on the international distribution of three of our signature series is a significant step forward for our long-term strategy of creating, producing and distributing high-quality programs that have wide millennial appeal across multiple viewing platforms around the world,” said New Form business development SVP JC Cangilla.

    Two of the three New Form series appearing at MIPCOM have already premiered on go90 in the US: The high school comedy Mr. Student Body President – A charismatic student body president and his Machiavellian chief of staff give “high school politics” a new meaning as they battle for power over pep rallies, gossip, and grades, with all the ambition and fervor of hardened Washington operatives. Starring Jeremy Shada (Adventure Time, Parenthood, ParaNorman), Arden Rose (1.3 million YouTube subscribers) and Christina Moore (True Blood, That 70s Show, MADTV).

    The Streamy Award-nominated sci-fi adventure MISS 2059 – An intergalactic sci-fi adventure about a beauty queen on Earth who is mistakenly selected to represent humanity in a life-or-death Galactic tournament. Starring Anna Akana (1.4 million YouTube subscribers, Ant Man, The Fosters), Nikki Soohoo (The Lovely Bones, Stick It, Private Practice) and Hartley Sawyer (Geek & Sundry’s “Caper”, The Young and the Restless, The McCarthys).

    KI will also offer Cold, set to premiere in the US on go90 this month on October 13:

    Her mother brutally murdered… her father in prison for the horrific crime… 16-year-old Isla Wallis returns to her remote hometown to discover the truth about what really happened to her family. Now, alone and abandoned in the icy wilderness, Isla will be pushed to the edge of survival as she fights to expose the killer and save more than just her own life. Starring Annalise Basso (Captain Fantastic, New Girl, Ouija 1 & 2, Oculus, True Blood), Todd Lowe (Gilmore Girls, True Blood, Criminal Minds, NCIS), Jim True-Frost (The Wire, Boardwalk Empire, Hostages), and Marcus Johns (6.5 million Vine followers, Expelled, Rock of Ages)

    Additionally, Keshet will be adding a homegrown series, Aces to the list of digital offerings on their full MIPCOM slate. Created by Moti Adiv, Yoni Zicholtz and Jonathan Bar Ilan and produced by Keshet Broadcasting, Aces quickly became Israel’s number one digital series and subsequently migrated to Keshet’s linear channel. The show provides a hilarious fly-on-the-wall peek into the world of five poker buddies when they let loose during their Friday night card game.

  • Refinery29 raises $50 million from WPP and Scripps

    Refinery29 raises $50 million from WPP and Scripps

    MUMBAI: Digital lifestyle media company Refinery29 has raised $50 million in new funding from WPP and Scripps Networks Interactive, via WPP Ventures.

     

    This brings the company’s total funding to $80 million with previous investors including Stripes Group, Floodgate, Lead Edge Capital, First Round Capital, Lerer Ventures and Hearst Corporation.

     

    Refinery29 will use this latest round of funding to accelerate its mission to become the global media company for a new generation of women, powering inspirational, smart entertainment and discovery tools and resources across lifestyle categories. The company will expand internationally by launching new markets and building communities abroad, develop its distinguished video and entertainment offerings, and further connect its content and technology platform to the mobile and social web.

     

    “Media is at an inflection point. Over the next five years, multi-billion dollar media brands will grow out of the digital core, from which Refinery29 was born and is the leader. We are focused on vastly expanding our media and entertainment brand, creating smart, provocative editorial, video, and social content at the intersection of style, culture, and independence,” said Refinery29 co-founder and co-CEO Philippe von Borries.

     

    Refinery29 has nearly doubled in growth in each of the last three consecutive years and the business is profitable. In the last year, the company expanded its content from its core style focus to deliver coverage of politics, culture, food and technology that connects with women across all dimensions of their lives.

     

    Scripps Networks Interactive chief development officer Joseph NeCastro will join Refinery29’s Board of Directors, along with a representative from WPP Ventures.

     

    With his past experience in broadcast operations, media and finance, NeCastro will act as an important advisor for the Refinery29 team as the company looks to scale into a global media brand for millennial women.

     

    “Scripps Networks Interactive has built its global business on a deep understanding of the creation of compelling content that appeals to women across multiple geographies and devices. Refinery29 is committed to building an influential brand that connects with millennial women across the world, and we’re excited about the prospect of working in partnership with the team as they continue to expand their coverage and reach,” said NeCastro.

     

    “Refinery29 operates at the intersection of content, shopping and social media—all areas of focus for WPP Ventures. We’re delighted to make this investment alongside Scripps,” said WPP Ventures president Tom Bedecarre.

     

    Refinery29 co-founder and co-CEO Justin Stefano added, “Having Scripps Networks Interactive and WPP Ventures as partners will elevate Refinery29 in building the next global chapter of the business. Both bring decades of experience to the table, having built and funded globally-renowned media brands and developed exceptional lifestyle programming. Their deep insight into the ever-evolving media and advertising landscape will be invaluable in building out Refinery29’s editorial and entertainment teams.”